1455 PRESENTS: STORYTELLING IN THE 21ST CENTURY

1455’s second annual Summer Literary Festival is this July, and the overarching theme is STORYTELLING, which affords us ample opportunity to explore and interrogate –and complicate– the very notion of narrative; what it means, how it applies to societies, not merely in creative fields, but across business and political arenas as well.

For this inaugural discussion, I thought immediately of my colleagues and friends, all of whom have deep ties to my alma mater, George Mason University. As you’ll see, they all bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to how we teach, receive, and celebrate storytelling.

Gregg Wilhelm, a writer, publisher, teacher and arts administrator with more than twenty years of experience in the literary arts. He founded CityLit Project and is currently Director of George Mason University’s MFA Program.

Debra Lattanzi Shutika is a folklorist specializing in critical race, sense of place and Appalachian studies. She teaches digital storytelling, Appalachian folklore American and Latino folklore, sense of place, and bodylore. She is author of Beyond the Borderlands: Migration and Belonging in the United States and Mexico (2011, University of California Press), winner of the 2012 Chicago Folklore Prize.

Jennifer L. Disano serves as the Executive Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University (OLLI Mason), a nonprofit membership driven organization offering 600 educational courses per year to over 1200 members, serving retired individuals aged 55 or better. As Chief Spokesperson for the organization, she regularly gives speeches and media appearances to support outreach of the organization.

For additional context on the theme of Storytelling, here’s 1455’s mission statement of sorts, which explores the ways we can –and should– discuss, interrogate, and celebrate it: who is telling stories, who is the audience, how are people being (or not being) reached, why is this critical in 2020, etc.

Storytelling and the 1455 Story

Let me tell you a story.

The discovery of the first cave drawings
offers conclusive evidence of at least one thing: the power of narrative has
been with us as long as we’ve been able to communicate. One might suggest these
crude but sometimes beautiful images were the first example of what Whitman
lovingly christened a barbaric yawp:
individuals using whatever means were at their disposal to create, express,
warn, celebrate, instruct, or impress.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the
Internet was a pretty big paradigm shift as well.

Arguably, it represents the most significant
innovation since Gutenberg’s press. With the internet, anyone can be a writer, editor, or content
provider in 2020. This is, in almost every way (fake news excluded) a blessing,
but for the artistic class it’s a mixed one: in short and sum, it’s never been
easier or less expensive to get your story into the world, but there’s never
been more competition—more content—in this ever-crowded space.

Until now, discussion of creativity as
vocation has resided mostly in English Departments and the occasional, earnest
Op-Ed (invariably by an under-published author with neither the strategies nor
funds to affect meaningful change). In a workforce where AI and machines are
celebrated and feared in equal measure (one’s opinion likely depends on whether
it’s one’s job being automated), writing clearly and communicating effectively
could preserve your paycheck. It’s no longer atypical to read CEOs and industry
big-wigs—traditionally stalwart advocates for STEM programs—lauding not only
the merits, but societal value of a Humanities degree.

Our world—on macro and micro levels—is not
getting less diverse, either. Showcasing multiple perspectives, including
traditionally marginalized voices, is not “merely” an enriching proposition,
it’s good business, too. Think tanks, college seminars, boardrooms, reading
groups, and writers collectives all advance this work in their way, but too
often these are exclusive and siloed environments. 1455 advocates for a physical space equipping writers (and
readers) to congregate and create. At the same time, we produce
robust, free programming and not least, we utilize available technology to
foster a virtual community with no size limit or registration fee. We’re
storytellers telling stories and doing everything possible to shine necessary
light on the words that might change the world, one narrative at a time.

All of which is to say, the need for personal
narrative is as imperative and empowering as ever, and the ability to share
these stories has never been more accessible, more possible. At 1455, we
provide space for storytellers to connect, sharing resources to assist and
inspire writers anywhere, and everywhere. In the process, we’ll establish the
Shenandoah Valley and surrounding region as a new epicenter that celebrates
creativity and supports communities. We bring together artists, educators,
entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts, all with a passion to promote literacy and the
literary arts—finding ways to engage in positive dialogue and opportunities to
enrich, by all means necessary.